Smartwatch Screen Repair DIY or Professional

A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Repair a Smartwatch Screen

Introduction:

Smartwatches have become increasingly popular due to their functionality and convenience. However, accidents happen, and sometimes the screen of your smartwatch may crack or become unresponsive. While a damaged smartwatch screen can be frustrating, the good news is that many issues can be fixed without having to replace the entire device. In this article, we will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to repair a smartwatch screen, helping you restore its functionality and extend the lifespan of your device.

Assess the Damage:

Before attempting any repairs, carefully assess the extent of the damage to your smartwatch screen. Determine if it is a minor scratch, a cracked screen, or if the touchscreen is unresponsive. Understanding the severity of the damage will help you choose the appropriate repair method.

DIY Fixes for Minor Scratches:

Toothpaste Method:

• Apply a small amount of toothpaste (non-gel variety) onto a microfiber cloth.
• Gently rub the cloth in circular motions over the scratched area for a few minutes.
• Wipe off the toothpaste residue with a clean, damp cloth and dry the screen.

Baking Soda and Water Method:

• Create a paste by mixing baking soda and water until it forms a thick consistency.
• Apply the paste to the scratched area and gently rub it using a soft cloth or your fingertip.
• Rinse the screen with a damp cloth to remove any residue and dry it thoroughly.

Screen Protector Replacement:

If your smartwatch has a screen protector, it may have absorbed the impact or sustained the scratches. In this case, removing and replacing the screen protector can often solve the problem. Follow these steps:

Peel off the damaged screen protector gently, starting from one corner. b. Clean the screen using a microfiber cloth to remove any residue. c. Align the new screen protector properly and press it down gently to adhere to the screen.

Cracked Screen Repair:

Screen Protector Method:

• If the damage is a minor crack, applying a tempered glass screen protector can help prevent further spreading and provide temporary protection. Ensure the screen is clean before applying the protector.

Professional Repair:

• For significant cracks or if the touchscreen is unresponsive, it is recommended to seek professional help. Contact the manufacturers customer support or visit an authorized service center to inquire about screen repair or replacement options.

Prevention Tips:

To minimize the risk of screen damage in the future, consider these preventive measures:

Use a protective case: Invest in a durable case that provides added protection to your smartwatch, especially for outdoor activities or sports.

Avoid exposure to extreme temperatures: Extreme heat or cold can damage the screen. Keep your smartwatch away from direct sunlight, excessive humidity, or extreme temperature conditions.

Handle with care: Treat your smartwatch gently and avoid dropping it or subjecting it to unnecessary force.

Conclusion:

Repairing a smartwatch screen is possible with the right approach and tools. While minor scratches can be remedied with DIY methods like toothpaste or baking soda, more severe damage, such as cracks or unresponsive touchscreens, may require professional assistance. By following the steps outlined in this guide and taking preventive measures, you can prolong the life of your smartwatch and maintain its functionality for a longer period.

MakeUseOf

Besides being fun to build, extremely customizable, and simply cool to wear, DIY smartwatches are a far more affordable option when compared to commercial products.

One of the main components required is a custom printed circuit board (PCB), which isn't your standard off-the-shelf part. But with DIY smartwatch creators making their designs free to use, ordering a custom PCB couldn't be easier, or cheaper for that matter, often costing as little as $10.

If you've always wondered what it takes to create your very own custom-built DIY smartwatch, then take a look at some of these brilliant smartwatch projects.

1. Slimline ESP32 Smartwatch

Building your own smartwatch can be tricky when it comes to fitting all the necessary components into such a small format. If you need some motivation to tackle this problem, then look no further than DIY maker Stephen Hawes, whose infectious excitement over building a smartwatch is impossible to ignore.

The reason why he's so enthusiastic about his smartwatch design is that the end result rivals the commercially available Pebble smartwatch in size and form. Considering the components, it's relatively simple: all you need is a screen, battery, and an ESP32 for wireless communication. The difficult part comes when testing the circuit with a breadboard, which requires some milling to create an interface between the ESP32 and the breakout board. After that, designing a custom PCB is the next big challenge, especially if you've never done it before.

You might want to read a few tips on soldering before starting this project, as the parts that need soldering are near microscopic. Additionally, a 3D printer is used in this project to print a case for the smartwatch. However, if you don't mind exercising a bit of patience and care, the result is a beautifully slim smartwatch topped with capacitive touch functions.

2. ESP8266 Smartwatch With Home Automation

Custom PCBs are usually used in small, compact builds, which means knowing how to design and manufacture your own printed circuit board. Luckily, some DIY electronic designers like Shyam Ravi have taken the hard work and done it for you.

Everything you need, from PCB schematics and Gerber files, is available on GitHub alongside an easy-to-follow tutorial on YouTube and Instructables. The necessary components include a battery, three tactile buttons, and an OLED display, while some of the other components include transistors and micro USB ports that can be salvaged from old electronic devicesa brilliant way to curb electronic waste.

By the end of this project, you will have a smartwatch that not only tells the time but also grabs weather updates and can control your lights with a touch of home automation programming. The latter uses the Blynk server which you could potentially use to program other home automation systems. The only thing not covered is a case to fit all your electronics together, so we suggest heading to Thingiverse to search for your favorite 3D printing design.

3. ESP32 Smartwatch Complete With Laser and Torch

The beauty of building your own smartwatch is getting to add exactly what functions you want. In this case, Gabriel McFarlane saw a need to build his watch complete with a laser and torchand thus he did.

Setting this project aside from the others is the ESP32 TTGO development board available from LILYGO. It has an onboard battery management system, as well as an integrated display, which means fewer components to worry about soldering. There are no custom PCBs required here.

Related Link: The Best ESP32 Wearable Projects

With lots of trial and error, a 3D printed watch case was designed, printed, and assembled using brass tubing at the strap joints to hold it together (a nice touch). Another interesting choice was the use of flexible TPU for the 3D printed watch straps, which is great for replicating traditional plastic straps. The only downside is that it can be an expensive addition to the project. If you prefer to opt out of this route, you can make a strap out of spare elastic or an old watch strap instead.

Aside from the hardware components, this tutorial will also walk you through the coding step-by-step, making it easy for you to build yourself a DIY smartwatch.

4. Arduino Smartwatch

Sometimes you just want your smartwatch to do a few key things well and for that, this project is perfect. By the end of the tutorial, you will have a smartwatch that can tell you the time, date, and temperature, alongside when you have notifications on your phone. This simple design is reminiscent of retro digital Seiko watches, but with the added Bluetooth function, a buzzer, and an LED, it comes much closer to the smartwatches we see today.

Related Link: The Best Arduino Wearables Projects

Once again the design relies on a custom PCB, which you can find on the project website. The integrated microcontroller used here is the Arduino ATmega32, with firmware already compiled to make the smartwatch functional. One nice feature is the use of the Notiduino app, which allows you to select from your phone the notifications that you want to send to your Arduino. These include Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, and Email, to name a few.

While this project doesn't cover constructing a case for your components, it does provide a great basis for building a smartwatch. If this is your first time attempting a DIY smartwatch, it might just be the perfect place to begin.

DIY smartwatches don't all have to be function over form. As both an electrical engineer and a product designer, Samson March built a smartwatch that is just as aesthetically pleasing.

The watch case is made using woodfill PLA and a round display, giving it a unique look compared with most other DIY smartwatch designs. If you haven't tried woodfill PLA filament in 3D printing, you might be surprised to know that it behaves in a similar way to real wood. While it might need some tidying up straight off the printing bed, you can file, sand, and even stain the final product.

You'll be even more excited to know that the looks aren't everything. This smartwatch will turn on when you face the watch towards you and has integrated Apple notifications. This is down to the use of a Dialog Semiconductor DA14683 Chip and a custom-built PCB, plus a lot of backend coding.

While building and coding this beautiful watch is not simple, the payoff is definitely worth it. Head over to GitHub to find everything you need, including the components list, code, STL files, and schematics.

Building Your Own DIY Smartwatch

From the simplest designs to the more advanced ones, building your own smartwatch is an incredibly satisfying project.

You can choose to stick to the instructions and copy one of the fantastic designs listed here, or you could launch into designing your own smartwatch. The availability of detailed documentation means that there is plenty of electronic schematics, code, and 3D printing files for you to remix.

And if at the end of it all you don't feel like soldering many tiny parts together, then you can always skip straight to the programming with a smartwatch assembly kit like Watchy.

Can Smartwatch Be Repaired? Can I Do It Myself?

Some may think of the smartwatch as an irreparable device for many reasons. There is slight truth to the belief depending on certain facts.

Smartwatch quality is one prime factor to decide on possible repairs. You shouldnt expect a cheap, low-quality watch to survive repairs.

Read my post about the best fitness trackers with the longest battery life.

The extent of the damage will decide whether the watch can be repaired or not. Also, the exact type of damage is worth your consideration.

Smartwatches have become an important part of our lifestyle, and we use them to accurately track our activities.

So, can the smartwatch be repaired or can I repair it myself? Well, I gathered the vital info to answer your much-desired questions.

Lets find out.

Can Smartwatch Be Repaired?

Just like any other gadget, Smartwatches can also be repaired, but it mainly depends on how much damage it has got. If its slightly damaged, then it can be repaired. For example, if you have accidentally broken the glass of the Smartwatch, it can be repaired.

If you have broken the sensor, it can be repaired. If the battery of the Smartwatch has stopped working, it can be swapped.

However, if the full body of the Smartwatch has been damaged and it also damaged the inner sensors, then it will depend on how many components have been damaged.

Also, if your watch is severely damaged, you will have to consider if its worth spending your money on repairing a watch or should get the new one.

So, at the end of the day, the answer to this question is: Yes, Smartwatch can be repaired, but it will ultimately depend on the damaged it has got.

Can I Repair A Smartwatch Myself?

Smartwatches are an amazing feat of engineering, and it comes with tons of tiny components that work in combination to make the smartwatch work. So, if you have accidentally dropped your watch or it has got damaged in some way, and you want to repair it, then you will need to ask yourself a few questions.

Have you ever repaired anything this sophisticated before? Do you have an understanding of electronic components? Do you know how to replace the damaged items?

If the answers to all these questions are positive, then there should be no problem because you have done this before, and you know which part you will need to replace. However, if your Smartwatch is still in warranty, you dont have to spend your time on the watch, just go to your new service center and claim your warranty.

If the answers to all the above-mentioned questions are negative or some of them are negative, then you consider the following scenarios.

• If you are someone who has done some simple DIY projects in the past and now you want to take things to the next level by repairing your watch, then you can proceed. But, you should know that smartwatches come with tons of components and if you dont put them back in the right place or you accidentally damage those parts, then it will cost your Smartwatch. So, proceed with caution, and if you dont have a great experience, you shouldnt repair it yourself.

• If you dont have any DIY experience, but you still want to get your hands on repairing your Smartwatch, you will need to consider some factors. If its an old smartwatch and even if it gets permanently damaged, you can afford to buy a new Smartwatch, then you can proceed. If its a new smartwatch or you dont have a budget for a new Smartwatch, then you shouldnt repair it yourself. Instead, take the help of a professional to repair your Smartwatch. It will cost you some money, but it will still be worth it.

Now you know if you can repair your watch yourself or not. Generally, Id not recommend repairing the watch yourself because its a sophisticated gadget. If anything goes wrong, it can potentially cost you your Smartwatch, which is surely not a good deal.

Frequently Asked Questions [ FAQs ]

For your further inquiry, you may check out this section of the article. Here, we will answer the most common questions regarding Can Smartwatch Be Repaired?

Can Toothpaste Really Fix A Cracked Smartwatch Screen?

No, toothpaste cannot fix a cracked smartwatch screen. However, if its a minor scratch, then toothpaste can hide it, but still, it wont be a permanent fix. Sooner or later, you will need to replace the cracked screen.

So, its always recommended to use the screen protectors to ensure the safety of your Smartwatchs display.

Should I Repair The Smartwatch Myself?

You should repair your Smartwatch only if you have the prior experience and know about the different electroic components. Otherwise, Id recommend you not to do it yourself and takr the help of professionals.

How Can I Fix My Cracked Screen?

If you have experience of DIY projects and you have fixed the sophisticated gadgets in the past, then you can easily fix your cracked screen. Order the replacement screen from Amazon, open up the watch, and swap the cracked screen.

Theres also a possibility that you might find some video tutorials on YouTube, which can guide you through the process. However, if you have never repaired sophisticated gadgets before, then I would recommend you to contact the nearest service center and get your watch repaired from a professional.

What Do You Do With A Broken Smartwatch?

If your Smartwatch is new, but it has got broken, then you can repair it yourself, or you can take the help of a service center near your location. If its the old version and you can afford the new version, Id recommend getting a new version of the Smartwatch.

Conclusion

Smartwatches can be repaired, but it mainly depends on how much damage it has got and if its worth spending a lot of money on an older Smartwatch when you can get a new one by spending few extra dollars.

If you have experience of DIY projects, you can repair the Smartwatch yourself. If you have any questions, please let us know in the comment section below. Also, dont forget to visit the website for more useful guides.

Here is an article on my website that you must read, its about Can Smartwatch Batteries Be Replaced?

As a professional trainer and a gadget lover, Ive spent a lot of money and time buying wearable activity trackers, smartwatches, and gadgets, and checking them out. My site is focused on helping you with your activity tracking and smart technology journey. I try to provide the most helpful updated content on this subject. Hopefully, you will love my blogs and be a regular around here.